Optical film delivery unit

Abstract

An optical film delivery unit is comprised of an optical film strip having optical films protected by at least one liner. Scores, typically dot-line cuts, in the liners initiate folding. The optical film strip is folded along the scores such that the optical film delivery unit assumes a Z-fold structure that provides several advantages. There is no tension on the strip. The optical films do not create impressions on each other and remain flat. In addition, the optical film unit is relatively small making it more efficient to package and transport.

1 . An optical film delivery unit comprising: 
 a liner having at least one score; and    a plurality of optical films on the liner, the optical films and liner forming an optical film strip;    wherein the liner is folded along the score such that the optical film delivery unit assumes a Z-fold structure having a plurality of pages.    
   
   
       2 . The optical film delivery unit of  claim 1  and further comprising: 
 first and second scores between each page.    
   
   
       3 . The optical film delivery unit of  claim 2  wherein a distance between the first and second scores is greater than a thickness of the optical film strip.  
   
   
       4 . The optical film delivery unit of  claim 2  wherein the scores between each page are parallel and separated by a distance of between about 0.1 mm and about 1.0 mm.  
   
   
       5 . The optical film delivery unit of  claim 1  wherein the score is a dot-line cut.  
   
   
       6 . The optical film delivery unit of  claim 3  wherein cuts of the dot-line cut have a length between about 0.5 mm and about 30 mm, and a gap between the cuts has a length between about 0.5 mm and 30 mm.  
   
   
       7 . The optical film delivery unit of  claim 1  wherein the score stops at least about 0.5 mm from edges of the liner.  
   
   
       8 . The optical film delivery unit of  claim 1  wherein the optical films are at least one of light directing films, diffuser-type films, turning films, multi-layer polymer films and reflective films.  
   
   
       9 . An optical film delivery unit comprising: 
 an optical film strip comprised of a plurality of optical films between liners, the optical film strip having at least one dot-line cut and being folded along the dot-line cut such that the optical film strip has a plurality of pages and at least one fold.    
   
   
       10 . The optical film delivery unit of  claim 9  wherein each page includes at least one optical film.  
   
   
       11 . The optical film delivery unit of  claim 9  and further comprising: 
 a plurality of dot-line cuts defining each page on the optical film strip.    
   
   
       12 . The optical film delivery unit of  claim 11  wherein a distance between dot-line cuts is greater than a thickness of the optical film strip.  
   
   
       13 . The optical film delivery unit of  claim 9  wherein the dot-line cut stops at least about 0.5 mm from edges of the liner.  
   
   
       14 . The optical film delivery unit of  claim 9  wherein cuts of the dot-line cut have a length between about 0.5 mm and about 30 mm and are spaced between about 0.1 mm and about 1.0 mm apart.  
   
   
       15 . A method of making an optical delivery unit, the method comprising: 
 forming at least one score in an optical film strip comprised of a plurality of optical films between liners; and    folding the optical film strip along the score such that the optical film delivery unit has a plurality of pages and at least one fold.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the score is a dot-line cut.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein two parallel dot-line cuts are formed between each page.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the two parallel dot-line cuts are separated by a distance between about 0.1 mm and about 1.0 mm.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein cuts of the dot-line cut have a length between about 0.5 mm and 30 mm and are spaced between about 0.5 mm and about 30 mm apart.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the optical films are at least one of light directing films, diffuser-type films, turning films, multi-layer polymer films and reflective films.